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There's no extreme pattern to report in the drops this week, a bit of a rare occurrence. Because of that, we'll focus on the adds today, of which there were plenty.
Zach McAllister, SP (33 percent owned, +14 percent): McAllister has pitched well since returning to the Indians in late June, posting a 2.31 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 23-1/3 innings pitched in those four starts. He's also limited his walks, handing out free passes to just eight of the 100 batters he's faced. On the season, McAllister has done well, with a 124 ERA+, 3.3 K/BB, and 3.10 FIP that matches up well with his actual results. The strikeouts are a bit higher than expected, but otherwise, this all matches up well with that McAllister has been doing in the minors for a few years now. The 24-year-old might not be a game-changing kind of pitcher for you, but you can absolutely do worse in a mixed-league format than what he's putting up in 2012.
Chris Carter, 1B (20 percent owned, +13 percent): Carter hasn't had much success in his brief stints in the majors over the past couple of years, but he's making things count in 2012. In the 11 games and 36 plate appearances he's accrued, Carter has a .310/.444/.862 line with five homers already. Now, he's obviously not going to hit like this forever, but the 25-year-old slugger has shown plenty of pop in pitcher-friendly Sacramento already, and it's time to see what he can do in the bigs on a consistent basis. If he keeps hitting like this, the A's won't be able to bump him from playing as they have in the past. If you need some more power, Carter is worth a look; just don't expect him to Bonds it up for very long.
Adam Lind, 1B (52 percent owned, +12 percent): Lind is hitting .323/.382/.613 since returning from the minors, and that's all well and good, but given his past, I'm having a hard time just letting him back in. He's started in just 17 games, compared to a few years of disappointment, so you'll have to forgive me for wanting to play wait-and-see with this particular bat. Even with the recent hot stretch, Lind is at just .233/.310/.417 on the season, and for someone who qualifies at first base, that just isn't going to do it. I'm not convinced he's even worth stashing at this point, unless you've got loads of extra roster space that you don't know what to do with. But maybe I've just been burned before.
Lorenzo Cain, CF (40 percent owned, +12 percent): The Royals haven't been playing Cain daily since his return from the disabled list, but with the way he's hitting, they'll have to very soon. Cain is at .324/.342/.559 with a pair of homers and doubles a piece in his 11 games in 2012, after putting up similar numbers while recovering in Triple-A Omaha earlier in the season. Cain had a great 2011 campaign, and a very strong spring before the injury, so you'll want to grab him while you can. Once he starts to play everyday, people are going to notice him.
Dan Straily, SP (12 percent owned, +10 percent): Straily is the likely next-in-line in the rotation in Oakland thanks to a breakout campaign at both Double- and Triple-A that sees him leading all of baseball in strikeouts, with 162 in 126 innings. The 23-year-old has been lights out with his control and command, and when combined with that pitcher-friendly park in Oakland, could be a total beast when his time comes. "Could" is the operative word here, as it is for all pitching prospects, but if you're looking for a late-season boost, this just might be the guy, assuming someone is moved from that A's rotation at the trade deadline.
NL-only
Jedd Gyorko, 3B (9 percent owned, +3 percent): If Chase Headley is dealy by July 31, Gyorko will be the beneficiary, as will anyone who has had the foresight to own him before that moment. It's no guarantee that any of this happens, but if you've got the roster space to gamble on it, you might be pretty pleased with yourself in about two weeks.
AL-only
Dallas Braden, SP (5 percent owned, +1 percent): Braden is throwing bullpen sessions, and should be making rehab starts relatively soon. He might be a decent late-season addition to some AL-only leagues in need of some quality innings.